Occupation Free Portland responds to PSU President's attack on student activsts

Details: Written by Occupation Free Portland (OFP) Occupation Free Portland (OFP); Published: 10 June 2016 10 June 2016

OFP Responds to PSU President Wim Wiewel

Portland State University president Wim Wiewel recently publicly denounced a resolution introduced to the student senate of the Associated Students of PSU calling on the university to divest any holdings in Caterpillar, G4S, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions. Here is a link to Wiewel’s comments https://voxprez.com/ and here is a response from Occupation-Free Portland.

Imagine if Wiewel’s views of divisiveness and discomfort became the gold standard for academia: True scientific inquiry would come to a halt, because it would be uncomfortable for an academic to have their papers and research challenged and critiqued by colleagues; teachers would have to stop correcting student’s work because students might feel unsafe; civil rights and social justice movements would halt because they are divisive and would make people uncomfortable. Universities would still be segregated. South Africa would still be under apartheid. Free expression of political speech itself would end on college campuses.

Wiewel contends that the resolution introduced dictates opinion. This is false and an affront to the democratic process of student government. The resolution was introduced to the Senate and after due deliberation was voted on. It has passed the first reading by a democratic vote of the Senate and will continue on to a second reading for further deliberation and a final vote. Mr. Wiewel, this is called democracy. What you are attempting to teach students is, yes, you can have your democracy except when it comes to discussing human rights violations against Palestinians. This certainly fits the bill for teaching students the current zeitgeist of our political elites but is not about teaching real democracy.

PSU President Wiewel attacks student activists

Details: Written by Wim Wiewel Wim Wiewel; Published: 10 June 2016 10 June 2016

[PSU President Wim Wiewel comes out swinging against student efforts to divest from companies complicit with Israel’s occupation. His talking points are drawn directly from those made by the pro-Israel groups opposed to divestment. He even accuses them of anti-Semitism but offers absolutely no evidence! So much for treating students with respect and not being divisive! ]

DIVESTMENT PROPOSAL IS DIVISIVE, ILL-INFORMED

June 2, 2016

https://voxprez.com/2016/06/02/divestment-proposal-is-divisive-ill-informed/

Wim Wiewel

Portland State University President

The Associated Students of Portland State University International Affairs Committee introduced a resolution to student government on May 23 calling for PSU to divest from companies doing business with the Israeli military. The resolution follows a recommendation from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which was started in 2005 by pro-Palestinian organizations seeking international pressure on Israel to end settlements in occupied territories and other measures. The BDS resolution calls for divestment from companies such as Caterpillar and Hewlett Packard.

As President, I support the right of students to express political, economic and social opinions. In this case, however, I think the resolution is divisive and ill-informed.

In Wake Of Deadly Attack, Tel Aviv Mayor Speaks Out Against Israel’s Occupation Of Palestine

Details: Written by JUSTIN SALHANI JUSTIN SALHANI; Published: 10 June 2016 10 June 2016

Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a shopping center near Israel’s Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night. The attack, that killed four people, has resulted in severe repercussions, as Israel revoked the permits of 83,000 Palestinians from visiting Israel.

The attack received the usual denunciations from many members of the Knesset — but Tel Aviv’s 71-year-old Mayor, Ron Huldai, blamed Israel’s occupation of Palestine for the attack.

“We might be the only country in the world where another nation is under occupation without civil rights,” he said when speaking to Israeli army radio on Thursday. “You can’t hold people in a situation of occupation and hope they’ll reach the conclusion everything is alright.”
“No one has the courage [to find peace with the Palestinians],” he said.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about BDS

Details: Written by AUPHR AUPHR; Published: 09 June 2016 09 June 2016

A talk by

Dalit Baum

Friday June 17 from 7 to 9 PM At TaborSpace (in the Dining Room)

5441 SE Belmont in the
Mt Tabor Presbyterian Church

Dalit Baum, PhD., is the Director of Economic Activism for the American Friends Service Committee. An Israeli researcher, scholar, feminist, and social justice activist, Dalit

Why would a nice Israeli Jewish girl support the Palestinian Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)?
Does BDS actually work and how?
Learn more about corporate power and war profiteering, and about organizing in Israel and the U.S. to expose these corporations and help them step away from the Israeli occupation.

Come to ask all questions, or to be reintroduced to the issues, Enjoy refreshments, old and new friends.

Facebook Page Here!

Free and all are invited

Bernie Sanders, the Coming Convention and a Democratic Reassessment of Support for Israel

Details: Written by Gilbert Schramm Gilbert Schramm; Published: 04 June 2016 04 June 2016

As is typical in election years, a huge amount of nonsense dominates the airwaves and internet. From Trump’s latest Muslim baiting or immigrant bashing, to the GOP’s continued efforts to make big issues out of Benghazi and Hillary’s e-mail foul-ups, most of this is truly irrelevant. Among the issues almost never given the truly serious, sustained and coherent attention it deserves is our country’s Middle East policy.

If you pay attention to the odd corners of the media, you will see more and more articles about how the Democratic Party is abandoning its decades of kneejerk, unconditional support for Israel. In most places, this development is decried. In reality, it is the best thing that could happen to both Israel and the US.

The Zionist/AIPAC driven side of the argument desperately wants to spin this development as a result of week-kneed, misguided liberals reneging on a historic friendship—that is pure and rather ugly propaganda. The real issue for progressives, and hopefully for average Americans, is not whether to stand with Israel, but what kind of Israel to stand for. Those Zionists pleading for unconditional support are merely helping drive their country further into the grip of its rising fascist elements.

It appears that this issue may result in a serious platform fight in the Democratic Party this summer. If that is so, it is just another thank you that the party owes to Bernie Sanders. A levelheaded reassessment of our alliance with Israel is long overdue.

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